Responding to a radio report of a threat on the ground, two Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters patrolling the vast Mount Bundey Training Area bank and accelerate.
The target for the Tiger crews is an armoured fighting vehicle on a distant ridgeline that poses a danger to nearby friendly soldiers.
In a rapid and low-flying attack, the Tigers launch 70mm rockets and fire 30mm automatic gunfire, destroying the vehicle before veering away and deploying flares.
The attack run is part of a training scenario developed by 1st Aviation Regiment for Exercise Griffin Guns.
Serials included day and night live firing as well as integrating assaults with artillery fire support from a battery of 8/12 Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery M777 howitzers.
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Sherry said the drills were vital to maintaining proficiency.
"Griffin Guns enables our people to develop the foundation skills necessary to employ our aircraft across the spectrum of operations," Lieutenant Colonel Sherry said.
"Army Aviation Command's motto is 'for the soldier'. The motto is a recognition that everyone in our organisation supports somebody else.
"We support one another within the regiment so that we can support the soldiers on the ground."
Lieutenant Colonel Sherry said this couldn't happen without all trades in the unit coming together.
'We support one another within the regiment so that we can support the soldiers on the ground.'
"Whether it is the technician on the flight line or the pilot in the cockpit, everyone's role is important to mission success," Lieutenant Colonel Sherry said.
During Griffin Guns, forward arming and refuelling point teams expanded the helicopters reach within some 117,000 hectares of the Northern Territory training area.
Lieutenant Colonel Sherry said the activity was critical learning ahead of the 1st Aviation Regiment's transition from the Tiger to the AH-64E Apache.
"The Tiger aircraft has enabled us to make significant progress in our collective understanding of attack helicopter operations," he said.
"We will go from an analogue attack helicopter with Tiger, to a fully integrated digital system, capable of both applying and synchronising effects, with Apache."
The first four aircraft are expected to be delivered later this year.
